So… apparently Oakheart didn't die in this fic?
Chapter five: Retaliation at Last
Sandpaw sat beside her mother just outside the nursery, looking up at Bluestar.
"I believe all the evidence points towards Riverclan," the gray-furred leader announced, looking a little hesitant.
"You're not sure?" Smallear asked. Bluestar shook her head.
"Until a cat confesses, I'm not. I must talk now with my senior warriors to decide our next course of action. This will not go unnoticed by us, mark my words," Bluestar growled, concluding the meeting by leaping down from the Highrock and disappearing into her den. Sandpaw dashed after her mentor before he went to join the other senior warriors.
"Can I go hunt?" She asked, tired of being stuck in camp. The long-haired white tom hesitated.
"Fine, but stay well away from Riverclan, the Thunderpath, Snakerocks, and the twolegplace," he instructed. "Maybe hunt near the Great Sycamore." Sandpaw nodded and dashed out of the camp. She followed the well tread track into the heart of the forest, scenting the air for any signs of prey. Before she reached the Great Sycamore, Sandpaw uncovered a nest of mice and killed three, before catching two squirrels around the sycamore. She took her catch back to the camp and left it on the fresh-kill pile. She spotted Longtail sitting beside the nettle patch, finishing a vole.
"Has Bluestar decided what she'll do?" Sandpaw asked him.
"She's decided she'll take Sunningrocks back, in retaliation for Ravenleap's murder. She hopes for a small, simple skirmish we can win. She's creating a battle plan with Lionheart, Tigerclaw, and Whitestorm now," the pale tabby replied. "I think Bluestar wants to take a prisoner to interrogate Riverclan's plans for our territory."
Sandpaw dropped her voice to a whisper. "What if Riverclan has no further plans for our territory? What if the prisoner gives Bluestar no reason to suspect that Riverclan killed Ravenleap? What if the investigation turns back to clanmates? We were all out on patrol!"
"Hush!" Longtail snarled softly. "No one will find out. If you're so concerned, ask Tigerclaw. Maybe we can dissuade Bluestar from taking a prisoner, or we can somehow make sure all the warriors escape before she does capture a Riverclan cat."
Sandpaw nodded and grabbed her two squirrels, taking them to the elders' den. Halftail thanked her for the prey, now, with nothing else to do, Sandpaw began to pace back and forth in front of her den, muttering under her breath. Everyone around the clearing looked up excitedly when Bluestar and the senior warriors left the leader's den. Bluestar leapt onto the Highrock, and didn't need to yowl the summons, for the Clan was already at the base of the stone, eagerly awaiting her verdict.
"We will attack tonight!" Bluestar announced.
No more waiting! Sandpaw inwardly cheered. She didn't know how she'd last another day stuck in camp for fear of being murdered.
"We will have three small patrols," Lionheart explained. "I will lead the first, we will fight any Riverclan cats that reach the summit of the rocks. Tigerclaw will lead the second. After Riverclan warriors have reached the rocks, his patrol will prevent any backup from reaching the fight on the rocks. Whitestorm will lead the third patrol, who will be waiting at the camp to guard it, but also ready to join the fight at the word of a messenger."
No! Sandpaw roared inwardly. Surely she'd be with her mentor's patrol, lying around in camp? Her furious green gaze fell upon her mentor, who smiled at her reassuringly.
"Warriors and apprentices, gather to hear the patrols," Lionheart called at the base of the Highrock. "All kits must stay in the nursery with their mother, elders must stay in their own den as well."
"Rosetail, would you like to stay in the medicine den to protect Spottedleaf?" Bluestar asked the gray tabby elder, who nodded happily.
"Staying here with Whitestorm will be Willowpelt and Longtail," Lionheart said. "Tigerclaw will take Mousefur, Graystripe, and Dustpaw. I will take Darkstripe, Fireheart, Runningwind, and Sandpaw."
Thank Starclan! Sandpaw thought. I'll be in the thick of it! Lionheart ordered the apprentices and warriors to find the leader of their patrol. Sandpaw found herself standing in front of Whitestorm.
"Please, for the love of Starclan, be careful," the large white tom rumbled. "I know this is what you wanted, and I know you'll fight with the power of Starclan to avenge your father and your friend, but don't get yourself killed."
"What if it's my life or a clanmate?" Sandpaw asked curiously. Whitestorm shook his head sorrowfully.
"The life of your clanmates isn't the responsibility of an apprentice. I trust you to make your own choices tonight, but I hope you have a long life ahead of you," his warm yellow eyes darkened for a moment. "My parents lost their lives in mere border skirmishes."
"I can survive a battle," Sandpaw vowed.
"She'll be safe with me," Lionheart assured Whitestorm, nudging Sandpaw's mentor affectionately.
"Yes, and you better come home!" Frostfur snapped, jabbing a paw in the deputy's chest. Her meow caught in her throat. "I've lost my brother, I don't want to lose you too."
"Yes, we need our deputy," Goldenflower purred, rubbing her head along her brother's cheek.
"Just protect the kits until I'm back," the thick-furred golden tabby said. "Now, I thought I told you to get inside the nursery?"
"Yes, oh mighty deputy," Goldenflower teased, batting his nose with a gentle paw before bounding towards the bramble thicket.
Lionheart turned back to his patrol. Sandpaw was surprised to find that Bluestar would be joining them.
"Runningwind, you will be our messenger," the leader told the tabby. "If I order you to, you'll run back to camp and get backup."
The swift tom nodded solemnly.
"Are we ready?" Bluestar asked, looking around the clearing. The gathering of cats all nodded. "Let's go."
Tigerclaw's patrol crouched downstream of Sunningrocks, downwind and undetectable by any Riverclan patrol. Bluestar sat at the summit of Sunningrocks, her head held high and her eyes blazing with confidence. At her side was Lionheart, and next to him was Runningwind. Darkstripe sat on Bluestar's other side, with Sandpaw between him and Fireheart.
Sandpaw's eyes gleamed in the light of the rising moon when she spotted a sleek figure climbing out of the river, his wet pelt slicked against his sides.
"Oakheart," Bluestar's growl was full of resentment.
"Bluestar," the Riverclan deputy said curtly. "Come to steal our land?"
"We both know it's Thunderclan's land, but we've decided we're done letting you borrow it to lounge in the sun," the Thunderclan leader hissed. "Leaffall is coming, and my cats must be fed. We have a nursery full of kits that must survive the harshest season with full bellies."
"You're sure about this?" Oakheart asked. Was that regret in his voice?
"We will take revenge," Bluestar responded with a stone cold voice.
"Very well," Oakheart nodded. He raised his head, and screeched, "Riverclan! Attack!"
"For Thunderclan!" Bluestar threw herself down the rocks, her sharp claws bearing down on the Riverclan deputy. Sandpaw found herself faced with two sleek-furred warriors, a black tom and a white tom with brown paws and tail.
They're huge! Sandpaw thought, crouching in fear for a moment. The memory of her father's dead body flashed in her mind, and rage fueled her paws as she attacked the two Riverclan warriors.
She barreled into the black tom's paws, knocking him over. She rolled away before she was crushed, hitting the white tom's brown paws. He raked his claws across her side, and she shrieked with pain, latching onto his forepaw and biting down as hard as she could, while clawing his belly with her hind claws. The awkward position she held for this exposed her belly. The black tom regained his paws and lunged, sinking his hooked claws into the soft flesh. Sandpaw screamed, releasing her hold on the brown forepaw. She sat up and wrapped her forepaws around the black tom's neck, sinking her bloody teeth into the black ear in front of her. Teeth grasped her tail and the white tom yanked her away. Sandpaw leaped to her paws, rage running her mind faster than the river. She surveyed her opponents.
The white tom was holding his wounded forepaw off the ground, and it pained him to stretch his belly due to the deep wound Sandpaw had caused. The black tom's ear was missing its tip, blood from it covering his face. There were a few claw marks on his neck, but they were shallow.
"An apprentice, right?" The white tom asked.
"I'm a warrior of Thunderclan!" Sandpaw roared, leaping at him once more. Her blazing claws struck his face faster than he could dodge or block her attacks. She felt claws grasp her flanks, and lashed out with a hindpaw, kicking the black tom away. While the white tom was still dazed, Sandpaw whipped around and bore the black tom to the ground, teeth tearing at his shoulder while her claws scored his sides. Sandpaw heard a grunt as the brown pawed warrior headed towards her once more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him approaching.
I can't even drive one of them off, whenever I start to beat one, the other attacks! Sandpaw thought, frustrated. She began to turn to face her oncoming attacker when a fiery bundle of fur smacked into the Riverclan warrior's side, knocking him off balance. Fireheart darted to the warrior's other side and bit down on his tail.
"Thanks!" Sandpaw called, pushing away her doubts about the kittypet for the moment. Just for the battle. The pale ginger apprentice turned back to the black tom and resumed her attack.
"Stop!" he shrieked, blood clumping his ragged dark pelt.
"Warriors don't kill, foxheart!" Snarled Riverclan's leader, Crookedstar, as he ran towards Sandpaw. The apprentice let Blackclaw escape into the river and she turned to face the brown tabby. She ducked under Crookedstar as he lunged, rolling onto her back to kick the tabby's belly. Crookedstar crashed down onto the rocks, and Sandpaw took her chance, grabbing his scruff in her mouth and clinging to his spine with sharp claws. When she had a firm grip with three paws, Sandpaw began to slice the leader's ears, before switching tactics and churning her hindpaws fiercely, leaving deep marks on his back. Crookedstar yowled with pain. Sandpaw's vision suddenly became almost completely dark, and her head throbbed with pain as Crookedstar rammed her into a rock in an attempt to dislodge her. Sandpaw released her grip and crumpled to the ground, groaning. Strong, firm paws held her down by her shoulders.
"This is pointless," Riverclan's leader hissed in her ear. "Your Clan is outnumbered. Must more blood be spilled on these rocks?"
"If you wish to not stain these rocks crimson," Sandpaw rasped, breaking off to spit blood out of her mouth, "Then you would give in. Thunderclan will never stop fighting for the territory that is ours."
A yowl of alarm cut off Crookedstar's reply. Sandpaw saw Fireheart tumble over the edge of one of the boulders. His two attackers carefully began to climb down the smooth surface.
Sandpaw tried to get up and help him, but Crookedstar held her down with a small snarl. The ginger apprentice reached up with a forepaw and clawed his lopsided jaw. The leader jerked backwards, and Sandpaw kicked him away. She bounded across the rocks where she'd last seen Fireheart, but Crookedstar caught up. He tackled her and pinned her down once more.
"Get out of my way!" Sandpaw snarled, lashing out with her claws. Blood spattered her leg as her claws tore through Crookedstar's throat. Riverclan's leader choked, and staggered backwards. Sandpaw left him and continued on her way towards Fireheart, her paws flying. She reached the edge of the rock and saw the ginger tom laying at the bottom, one of his forelegs crooked. The brown pawed tom and the golden spotted she-cat were approaching, eyes gleaming. Sandpaw pushed off from the rock and landed in front of the young warriors, planting herself in front of the Riverclan warriors.
"Out of our way, apprentice," Leopardfur hissed scornfully.
"I'd rather you leave my clanmates alone," Sandpaw growled, her pale green eyes narrowed with hate. "Four times now, you've taken the lives of our warriors."
"Four?" Whitefang paused, confused.
"Thistleclaw, Thrushpelt, Redtail, and Ravenleap, just earlier today," Sandpaw spat. "They deserve vengeance."
"Warriors are killed in border skirmishes all the time," Leopardfur rolled her eyes. "Though I don't know why you think we killed that pitiful black tom."
"I know why," Sandpaw smirked.
"If we've apparently taken four of your warriors, what's one more?" Leopardfur asked, glaring at Fireheart.
"And what's one less warrior to feed this leafbare?" Sandpaw countered, leaping for Whitefang. The large white tom staggered and Sandpaw began to attack him with swift paws, until countless deep wounds covered his pelt with blood. Sandpaw heard Fireheart snarl, and she spun around to see Leopardfur clawing him, while he was unable to get up. Sandpaw gave Whitefang another deep wound to his neck before tackling the spotted warrior.
"Are your skills so poor you can only harm warriors who can't fight back?" Sandpaw taunted, tearing her ear.
"I can still harm an apprentice!" Leopardfur raked her claws across Sandpaw's face. The apprentice shrieked, and closed her eyes just in time. Claws tore her right eyelid, forcing it closed and bloodying her face.
"What about a murderer?" Sandpaw panted, throwing the Riverclan warrior off of her. She flicked her tail to gesture towards the white warrior, whose fur was more scarlet than white now. "Ask Crookedstar who took one of his lives to come over here and save this kittypet."
"Whitefang!" Leopardfur gasped, rushing to the side of the dying warrior. "Sunfish! Come and help him!"
"Crookedstar's dead!" Replied a brown tabby she-cat.
"Retreat!" Oakheart called from the top of the rocks. Bluestar let Riverclan's deputy flee, and his warriors followed, with Leopardfur and Sunfish helping the gravely injured warrior across the river.
"Sunningrocks are ours!" Bluestar called triumphantly.
"Sandpaw?" Lionheart called, striding across the moonlit stones.
"Over here!" The apprentice called. The deputy appeared, his eyes widening when he saw Fireheart.
"What happened?" The golden tabby asked.
"Whitefang and Leopardfur," Fireheart grunted. "They threw me off the rocks."
"This fool would be dead if not for me," Sandpaw added.
"Good work," Lionheart nodded to her.
"She only had to kill a cat or two to do it," the ginger tom muttered.
"What?" Lionheart's green eyes widened with surprise.
"Crookedstar's alive, he has nine lives, doesn't he?" Sandpaw snorted. "Besides, Whitefang could survive his wounds."
"No warrior loses that much blood and lives," Fireheart glared at the apprentice. "And I saw how you nearly tore Blackclaw to pieces. Are you a warrior or a savage?"
"I should be a warrior, but no, lazy kittypets are better than clanborn cats, I suppose," Sandpaw hissed. "I just saved your life, you couldn't be a bit more grateful? I won us the battle by taking down those warriors. After tonight, Riverclan won't dare take our territory again."
"Warriors should never kill in battle," Lionheart frowned.
"Unless it's necessary," Sandpaw countered. "It was their lives, or Thunderclan lives. Would you rather I chose those foxhearts over Fireheart?"
"Whether it was right or not, we have avenged our fallen warriors and reclaimed our territory," Tigerclaw said. "They'll think twice before messing with us again."
"You fought like a warrior," Bluestar nodded, leaping down the rocks. "It's only fair that you've earned your name."
I'll be a warrior! Sandpaw thought eagerly. "What about Dustpaw?"
"He's trained long enough too," Bluestar nodded. "Let's get back to camp and let the Clan know we've won."
"Sunningrocks is ours," Bluestar called from her perch on the Highrock. "Riverclan has paid for the lives of our clanmates in blood, and has given us two new warriors. Sandpaw, Dustpaw, come forward.
"I, Bluestar, leader of Thunderclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. Sandpaw, Dustpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," the ginger she-cat and brown tabby tom replied.
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Sandstrike, Starclan honors your skill and determination, Dustpelt, Starclan honors your level head and loyalty. We welcome you as full warriors of Thunderclan," the blue-gray she-cat announced.
"Sandstrike! Dustpelt! Sandstrike! Dustpelt!" The clan cheered. The crowd of cats offered the two new warriors their congratulations.
"I'm so happy for you!" Goldenflower purred. "I'm sure Redtail would be too. I know he's looking at you from Silverpelt."
"We should go sit our vigil for the rest of the night," Dustpelt yawned when the mass of cats had gone to their dens.
"I'd like to speak to Sandstrike for a moment," Bluestar said. Dustpelt nodded and went to sit next to the gorse tunnel.
"What is it?" Sandstrike asked.
"I'm not happy you took one of Crookedstar's lives," the leader explained. "I'm sure Whitefang's kin is waiting for him to go to Starclan, with the wounds you gave him. I glimpsed your fight against him and Blackclaw. You did well against two seasoned warriors, but your rage blinded you. You nearly killed Blackclaw as well, he may be another life whose blood is on your paws."
"I was fighting for my life," Sandstrike hissed. "Does no one understand that?"
"I've fought for my life too," Bluestar murmured. "But I didn't kill to get out of it."
"So why make me a warrior, if you're so unhappy?" Sandstrike demanded.
"Because you risked your life and killed another cat to protect your clanmate, your kittypet rival, no less," the leader replied. "You were able to put aside your resentment to help him. While he may have been injured, he's alive." True, the former kittypet had broken his leg, and would be spending the next few days in Yellowfang's den.
"Eh, I did what any warrior would have," Sandstrike shrugged. "And I paid for it." She turned her head to lick the long clawmark on her shoulder.
"Yes," Bluestar's sky-colored eyes rounded with concern at the number of wounds dotting Sandstrike's pelt. "Are you sure you can't sit your vigil from Yellowfang's den?"
"I gave worse than I got," Sandstrike insisted. "I'll be fine, dawn isn't that far off." The moon was already beginning to sink towards the treetops.
"Go then," Bluestar nodded. "But see Yellowfang in the morning, and then go straight to your nest."
The pale ginger she-cat nodded and went to join Dustpelt by the camp entrance.